To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the University of Jember (UNEJ) and the 25th anniversary of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), FMIPA held a competition with the theme “MIPA Moves for Health.” The event was opened by the Dean of FMIPA, Prof. Drs. Dafik, M.Sc., Ph.D., on November 26 at the Mathematics Department building. He explained that the competition was organized to promote health and physical activity, as a way to celebrate these milestones. Prof. Dafik emphasized that staying healthy helps people stay active and motivated. This is especially important because FMIPA is supporting UNEJ’s preparation to become a Public Service Agency (PTN BH). “We need strong stamina to face the challenges ahead, so this activity is very useful,” he said.

The event, led by Dr. Esti Utarti, the Vice Dean for Student Affairs, featured a variety of competitions: table tennis, badminton, volleyball, chess, and a healthy walk. “Let’s participate and watch the competitions. I will also join the chess competition,” said Dr. Esti. In his closing remarks, Prof. Dafik encouraged participants to maintain sportsmanship, saying that winning or losing is normal, but the most important thing is to enjoy the prizes. “Competitions have winners and losers, but we must keep our unity. The event will end with a healthy walk, bazar and according to Vice Dean 2, there will be many prizes,” he added with a smile.

The first competition, table tennis, was played in teams from each department and the dean’s office. “Each team consists of men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, as decided in the technical meeting,” explained Edy Sutrisno, the event organizer. The competition was open not only to academic staff but also to the Dharma Wanita Persatuan (a women’s organization within FMIPA). “To make the table tennis competition more exciting, each team can include members from Dharma Wanita Persatuan,” he added. The matches continued until the teams for the final were determined.

Other competitions will take place on Thursday after the national holiday. Badminton will be held at the ORMAWA FMIPA building, chess will be played during break times or after work hours, and volleyball will take place at the FMIPA volleyball court, with the exact schedule to be agreed upon by all teams. “We, the committee, are still discussing the timing of the competitions with the teams, but it will follow the results of the technical meeting,” Edy concluded. The event will end with a healthy walk, followed by the award ceremony for the winners, bazar and entertainment for the FMIPA community. MIPA Moves for Health!